Learning to be Quick to Listen

There’s an ancient, and often forgotten, prayer that's been a source of comfort and strength for centuries. Known as the Jesus Prayer , its roots trace back to the fifth century , with early versions found etched in caves across the Egyptian desert . The prayer itself is a simple yet profound petition: " Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner ." It's a way to align our minds and hearts with the very name of Jesus, a name that St. Paul says is "above every name." This powerful repetition can become a deeply personal practice, one that aims to match the rhythm of our breathing, turning prayer from something we merely do into a part of who we are. This simple act of repetition can also be a quiet form of self-denial—a hidden martyrdom that helps us stay present and focused on God throughout our day. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through our phones at a red light, we can use that moment to breathe in the awareness of God’s presence. The ...

As we journey through our everyday life, any day can be a powerful time to pause and reflect on the path that has led us to this very moment. When we look back at the trajectory of our lives, we can begin to see God's hand at work, guiding us through various situations and bringing specific people into our lives for a reason. What experiences have shaped you, and what choices have you made that have brought you here? This is not just a backward glance, but a look forward, too. Where is God calling you to be? Are you surrounded by people who lift you up in faith, or are there relationships that are dragging you down? This introspection can feel challenging, especially when we face our past mistakes and sins. But in this process, we can find a deeper understanding of God's mercy and a path forward that is more aligned with His will. This examination of our lives is a form of prayer, a conversation with God about our past, present, and future. Take some time to sit with the sa...

As the summer break winds down and the new school year begins, Catholic students around the world are preparing to return to the classroom. This time of transition can be both exciting and overwhelming. New schedules, new teachers, new classmates, and a new academic workload can easily pull our focus in a million different directions. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, it's crucial to remember the most important thing of all: our relationship with God . The start of a new school year is the perfect opportunity to rededicate ourselves to Him, to invite Him into our studies, our friendships, and our extracurricular activities. Let's make a conscious effort to keep our eyes fixed on Him, seeking His guidance and strength in everything we do. Keeping God at the center of our lives isn't always easy, especially with the many distractions that come with school. But by making small, intentional choices each day, we can cultivate a deeper connection with Him. Start each morning wi...

  Prayer for the Conclave and the Election of a New Pope To be prayed by the faithful beginning May 7 Heavenly Father, Lord of all wisdom and mercy, You guide Your Church through the ages and never leave Your flock untended. As the College of Cardinals gathers in conclave, we lift our hearts in prayer for Your divine guidance. Send forth the Holy Spirit, O Lord, to enlighten, inspire, and unify these 135 shepherds called to discern Your holy will. May their deliberations be marked by humility, wisdom, and courage. Grant them clarity of mind and purity of heart, that they may recognize the one You have chosen to serve as the next Vicar of Christ on Earth. Raise up for us a Holy Father who will lead with truth and tenderness, who will defend the dignity of life, strengthen the faith of the weary, and build bridges of peace in a divided world. Under the watchful mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, and in commun...

Lent. It's a word that evokes images of ashes, fasting, and a general sense of solemnity. But why do Catholics embrace this period of spiritual discipline? It's all about preparation. Preparation for the pinnacle of the Christian calendar: Easter, the glorious celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Easter, even above Christmas, holds the highest place in the Christian year. And the Church, recognizing its profound significance, calls us to prepare our hearts through the 40 days of Lent. As Archbishop Fulton Sheen eloquently put it, the difference lies in the approach. While some might embrace a "feast then hangover" mentality, Catholics understand the power of "fast then feast." This period of self-discipline isn't about mere deprivation; it's about creating space for spiritual growth and deeper connection with God. The Significance of 40 Days Why 40 days? This number carries deep biblical weight, representing periods of judgment and spiri...

Fasting is a form of self-discipline that purifies the soul, allowing us to focus on God rather than earthly attachments. The Catechism explains that fasting is an expression of penance and conversion, helping us grow in self-mastery and unite with Christ’s sacrifice (CCC 1434). Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days (Matthew 4:2), teaching us that fasting strengthens the spirit against temptation. St. Anthony of Padua beautifully describes the fruits of fasting:  “If you have fasted, but have not restrained your tongue, your fasting counts for nothing.”  True fasting must be accompanied by virtue—especially love and kindness toward others. In connection with Catholic Social Teaching, fasting reminds us of the suffering of the poor. By voluntarily depriving ourselves, we develop compassion for those who lack basic necessities. Pope Francis urges us not only to fast from food but also from indifference:  “Indifference to our neighbor and to God also represents a rea...

Lent is a sacred season of renewal, repentance, and preparation for the  Paschal Mystery  of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are invited to deepen our relationship with God, detach from worldly distractions, and practice charity. These pillars of Lent, deeply rooted in Scripture and Tradition, also align with Catholic Social Teaching, guiding us to live out our faith in justice and love. Prayer  is the foundation of the Lenten journey, allowing us to commune with God and align our will with His divine plan. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (CCC 2559). Through prayer, we grow in humility, recognizing our dependence on God’s grace. Jesus Himself taught us how to pray, emphasizing sincerity over showmanship: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your...

We live in an age of unprecedented access to information. Google has become synonymous with knowledge, a vast ocean of data at our fingertips. Yet, despite this abundance, something crucial seems to be missing: wisdom. There's a profound difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts, figures, and theories.  Wisdom , on the other hand, is the application of knowledge to live a meaningful and virtuous life. It's about discerning truth, making sound judgments, and acting with compassion and integrity. Think of the Wise Men. They possessed limited knowledge about the Messiah. They knew one thing: follow the star. The chief priests, with their vast knowledge of scripture, failed to recognize and embrace the truth before them. Saint Basil the Great exemplifies the power of wisdom. He possessed immense knowledge, but his true legacy lies in how he lived. He applied his learning to address the pressing needs of his time, combating heresy and esta...

Pope Francis asked the new members of the College of Cardinals to cultivate a sense of prayer and closeness with God’s people, so they remain at the service of the church and their flocks. In a letter addressed to the 21 new cardinals, who will receive their red hats at a consistory Dec. 7, Pope Francis asked that they “make every effort as a Cardinal to embody the three attitudes with which an Argentinean poet — Francisco Luis Bernárdez — once characterized Saint John of the Cross,” namely: “eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.” The cardinals must raise their eyes because “your service will require you to lengthen your gaze and broaden your heart, in order to see farther and to love more expansively and with greater fervor,” the pope wrote in the letter dated Oct. 6, the day he announced the new cardinals, and made public by the Vatican Oct. 12. He asked the new cardinals to have their hands joined in prayer “to be able to shepherd well the flock of Christ.” “Prayer is the realm of d...

In his meeting with his brother Jesuits in Belgium, Pope Francis call secularization a “complex phenomenon” and noted sometimes the Church must “confront forms of paganism.” Speaking to 150 Jesuits in Brussels on Sep. 28, the pontiff answered a question from a member living in Amsterdam, one of the most secularized cities in the world. In his reply, Francis noted he didn’t mean a paganism like the one in the ancient world. “We do not need a statue of a pagan god to talk about paganism: The very environment, the air we breathe is a gaseous pagan god! And we must preach to this culture in terms of witness, service and faith. And from within we must do it with prayer,” he said in his remarks, which were published in La Civiltà Cattolica on Tuesday. “There is no need to think of very sophisticated things. Think of St. Paul in Athens. It went badly for him because he went down a path that was not his own at that time. I look at it this way,” the pope continued. “We need to be open, to dialo...

Bishop Anthony Randazzo of Broken Bay, Australia –president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania spoke at a press conference about his experiences with synodality in Oceania. He mentioned that synodality is a common experience for Oceania’s people, whom, he said, have practiced widespread consultative models of leadership for thousands of years, and he criticized that the “niche issues” of rich Western countries receive more attention than real issues, such as environmental problems in his region where rising sea levels threaten the very existence of many countries. Randazzo criticized the “obsession” of a minority of Catholics in the West with female ordination. “Those issues become all-consuming and focusing for people, to the point that they then become an imposition on people who sometimes struggle simply to feed their families, to survive the rising sea levels, or the dangerous journeys across wild oceans to resettle in new lands,” he said. He added that h...

Ever let your tongue create problems for you? If you answered no, surely you must be ready for sainthood. Two years ago, while on retreat at Manresa, I discovered the healing power of the Epistle of James. It was as if the Holy Spirit opened the Bible to the first page and forced me to read. When I did, I discovered a small, concise how-to guide for living my life everyday. Do I always follow it, no. Does it speak the truth, yes. Last week at our small Christian community session, my wife was filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaimed a serious life lesson that I want to share with you as well. She said we should all take a sheet of paper and draw two circles on it. In one circle, we are to place all of the things we can control. The other circle is for things we cannot control. We should then focus on the circle of things we can control. If we are walking with the Lord, that circle will not be very full and we will not be burdened with a heavy load. If you still have not read The Shac...